WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Senate has pushed Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court past a key procedural hurdle. The chamber voted 51-49 to move forward with President Donald Trump’s nominee. A final vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination could occur over the weekend.
Statement from Senator John Cornyn:
“What the Senate just voted for was to end the games, character assassination, and the intimidation tactics that unfortunately have characterized so much of this confirmation process.”
“The FBI investigation was a useful way to demonstrate to the American people that none of these allegations that have been made against Judge Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct have been proven.”
“There have been seven background investigations by the FBI of Judge Kavanaugh during his public service. The FBI has talked to more than 150 witnesses.”
“I feel badly for Dr. Ford in particular. She wanted none of this three-ring circus. She sent a letter to the ranking member and asked that her identity remain confidential, only to find, after the first confirmation hearing, that it was leaked to the press.”
“When we gave her an opportunity to have a bipartisan, professional investigation staff come out to California and interview her confidentially, she said, ‘nobody explained to me that was an option.’ Well, the lawyers that the ranking member referred her to apparently didn’t even tell their own client that she had the opportunity to avoid this three-ring circus.”
“We decided that Dr. Ford should be given an opportunity to tell her side of the story.”
“Throughout the hearing, we listened to Dr. Ford and we tried to understand what she was telling us.”
“We took her allegations seriously and treated her the same way we would want our wives or our daughters treated.”
“But we know at the end of the day there was no other witness who could corroborate or confirm what she said, even the ones she identified as having been present.”
“The other thing about these allegations made against Judge Kavanaugh is they are completely out of character.”
“We all had a chance to read the FBI report which failed to corroborate Dr. Ford’s allegations, and then today we did exactly what we needed to do, which is to vote. To stop the circus, stop the hijinks, stop the character assassination, and vote. So I’m glad our colleagues decided to close off debate.”
Statement from Senator Ted Cruz:
“The last several weeks have been some of the most shameful chapters in the history of the United States Senate. Both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh have had their good names dragged through the mud. The Senate Democrats’ failure to responsibly handle this process properly has hurt both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh, their families, their reputations, and their personal lives.
“The Senate Judiciary Committee gave Dr. Ford a full and fair opportunity to tell her story, and Judge Kavanaugh a full and fair opportunity to defend himself. I emphatically urged my colleagues to do so, and that was the right thing to do. It was important to hear her testimony, and to hear Judge Kavanaugh’s defense. And to treat them both with respect.
“Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford have both given powerful testimony. And their testimony is in conflict. It is the job of the Senate to weigh the evidence fairly. Typically, when a court of law considers conflicting testimony, it looks to corroborating evidence to resolve that conflict.
“In this instance, Dr. Ford pointed to three specific fact witnesses. And each of the named fact witnesses, under penalty of perjury, explicitly refuted Dr. Ford’s allegations.
“Last night, I read through the entire supplemental FBI report. Ten witnesses interviewed by the FBI, meticulously detailed, and not a single piece of corroborating evidence. In a fair process, that should be compelling.
“That’s why I voted yes today. I am pleased to see the Senate proceed with this nomination. The people of Texas want Justices on the Court who will be faithful to the Constitution and who will defend the Bill of Rights. Judge Kavanaugh has served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit for over a decade. He is by any measure one of the most respected federal judges in the country, and I look forward to seeing him confirmed to the Supreme Court.”